How to Clean a MacBook Pro Keyboard

If your MacBook Pro’s keyboard is dirty, you’re probably wondering how to properly clean it because there are so many nooks and crannies on it. Cleaning your computer’s keyboard isn’t difficult, but you need to make sure you’re doing it right so you don’t cause any damage. This wikiHow teaches you step-by-step how to make your keyboard look like new.

Table of Contents

Remove dirt and debris

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Turn off and unplug the MacBook Pro. You’ll accidentally press a lot of buttons during keyboard cleaning, so turn off your computer first to make sure you don’t interrupt or clutter anything on your desktop. In addition, unplugging the laptop will also ensure your safety.

You probably won’t want to shut down your computer at all, but don’t skip this step. We need to press all the keys comfortably without having to worry about changing important settings, or accidentally emailing our superiors with dozens of meaningless characters. Think of it as time for the computer to take a break.

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Open the laptop and shake it gently above the trash can. Turn the laptop upside down and shake it so that dirt, food debris, and any other material stuck under the keys comes out. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Try tapping all the keys repeatedly and then shaking the laptop above the trash again. Typing removes dirt and other substances that have been stuck in the keyboard for weeks or years (since the last time you cleaned the keyboard).
Dirt and some unwanted debris will fall out when you gently shake the laptop, but if not, don’t be discouraged. Whether these substances fall off or not, gently shaking the laptop also greatly aids the upcoming cleaning process.

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Use a can of compressed air and spray on the keyboard. Hold your MacBook Pro tilted at a 75-degree angle while you use a can of compressed air. This angle will help dirt and debris fall out rather than being pushed deeper into the laptop. ^{[2] X Research Source} You need to move the compressed air spray from left to right, top to bottom along the length of the keyboard and repeat to make sure you’ve reached every nook and cranny.

You need to keep the nozzle of the spray bottle about 1cm away from the keyboard.
Do not turn the can upside down while spraying.
If possible, you should have someone hold the computer still at this angle so you can spray.
With MacBook Pro models 2016 and earlier, you can skip the step of using a can of compressed air. Using compressed air on older MacBook Pro models will cause dirt to be pushed deeper inside.

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Turn the laptop around and spray compressed air on the keyboard. Flip the laptop to the right and spray compressed air on the keyboard from left to right, above and below the keys. Remember to keep the angle at 75 degrees so that dirt continues to fall out of the keyboard. Rotating the computer this way will help the compressed air spray continue to work in cleaning every nook and cranny under the keyboard.

Don’t forget to keep the spray head about 1cm away from the keyboard. This is just enough distance for compressed air to work to clean the keyboard. If you spray at a closer distance, the keys can be damaged.

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Turn the laptop around again and spray compressed air into the keyboard. Flip the laptop to the left for a complete and thorough cleaning by spraying compressed air under all the keys, from several different angles. Continue spraying from left to right, up and down in a zigzag line.

This is the last use of the compressed air can. If you think you may have missed something, now is the time to reach out and complete it.
You should consider shaking the laptop gently over the dustbin again to let the dirt fall out.

Clean and disinfect the keyboard

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Wipe the keyboard surface with a lint-free cloth. Do not use rough cloths or paper towels as this will scratch the keyboard. Soft microfiber towels are the best choice for you.

While wiping, you need to be gentle and limit unnecessary force on the keyboard.

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Use antibacterial wet wipes to clean the keyboard surface. This deep cleaning is the best part of laptop keyboard cleaning. The keyboard is the area that you come into contact with the most during laptop use, so it’s not uncommon for dirt (though not much) to accumulate on this surface. The disinfectant in wet wipes will remove liquid stains, stains and especially dirt-filled crevices. Bacteria as well as germs not visible to the naked eye will also be excluded. Take the time to clean and pay special attention to food stains or dusty nooks and crannies. While the whole process requires gentleness, you can scrub a little more vigorously on areas that are significantly soiled.

Check to make sure that the antibacterial wipes you are using are bleach-free. Lysp Wipes and Clorox Kitchen Disinfecting Wipes are among the brands of antibacterial wipes that Apple recommends. ^{[3] X Research Sources}
You can also use electronic device wipes or microfiber cloths in place of wet wipes. Alternatively, you can make your own cleaning solution by mixing water and isopropyl alcohol in a 1:1 ratio. ^{[4] X Research Sources}
You must be very careful, do not leave liquid on the keyboard somewhere. Have a dry cloth ready to wipe the cleaning solution.
Don’t spray liquid directly on the keyboard, simply dab the solution onto a lint-free microfiber cloth. Note: liquids are not good for electronics, so you probably don’t want to damage the keyboard while you’re trying to get it clean. When it comes to using a cleaning solution, a little is better.

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Wipe the keyboard with a damp microfiber cloth. Wipe the keyboard again with a damp cloth to remove all the cleaning solution, this is also another opportunity for you to get rid of stubborn stains.

It’s a good idea to wring out a damp cloth in the sink before wiping, to ensure that the keyboard won’t get wet.

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Wipe the keyboard again with a dry, lint-free microfiber cloth. We need to make sure that the keyboard is completely dry before folding the device. Liquids are your computer’s enemy, so you need to spend special time cleaning the nooks and crannies between the keys and ports. After completing this last step, your MacBook Pro keyboard should look like new.

Take a moment to double-check all the keys to make sure everything is still working properly.

Things you need

Compressed air spray
Two lint-free microfiber towels
Antibacterial wipes and electronics cleaners that do not contain bleach or isopropyl alcohol and water

Steps

Remove dirt and debris

Clean and disinfect the keyboard

Things you need

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